Pokeweed - Let That Yard Go

This plant is only edible after boiling the greens, draining and squeezing them out thoroughly and then cooking some more.  I'll reveal the name later.  Supposedly great with bacon or fatback.  I'm not going to try it unless I have someone with experience demonstrate the preparation.  I advise anyone to do the same.  The one above I photographed on the nature preserve, looking very healthy with plenty of buds.

This one grows at home under the canopy of an oak tree.  At the present it is over 10 feet tall.  I'm guessing the difference in color is due to the amount of nutrients that are available, as the more purple coloration would seem to be more healthy.  Also alluding to this would be the presence of more buds on the purple specimen.  The one above only has a couple of shoots with much smaller buds on them.  Goes to show what you can learn by letting your lawn go a little.  Some of the plants we call weeds could be very beneficial.

   

In Cochise Canyon

What's in a Name?

When we label an object with a name we take away the mystery and tend not to really observe it in a meaningful way. My advice to strengthen your awareness and understanding of nature is to observe it for some length of time before you hit the books or search engines. But the real goal is for you to observe the nature around you. I only aim to inspire. I will leave it up to you to name the species in our pictures by using the comment section of each post, but only after the image has been up for one month. I'm always open to suggestions. Thanks so much for viewing...

Nutall's Thistle

No Cortar Hierba

Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.
John Lubbock

We're a Featured Blog!

Awareness Up chosen as one of three featured blogs of the week at Outdoor Blogger Network! I am deeply honored.  Well, go on over to this site and check out all of the awesome blogs.  They're entertaining, educational and are ripe with awesome photos of the great outdoors.  If you have your own nature related blog, get it on there, ASAP.  Get your site noticed by like minded people.  All the best.

Always Questions

Which caterpillar will become this butterfly?  Why are they so brightly colored?  What are the antennae for?  Why does one have six antennae and the other only four?  Why is one spotted and one striped?  What plant are they enjoying?  Why?  How old are they?  How old is the butterfly? Is it a male or female? Why is it this shade of orange?  What time of year is it?  Which way is the wind blowing?  How was the branch broken?  Why are there no branches on the butterfly's perch?  What type of plant is it perched on?    What does it eat?  How?  What eats it?  Is it poisonous?  Why is it brightly colored?  What is it's range?  How does it reproduce?  Has it reproduced yet?  Where has it been?  Where is it going?  What time of day is it?  How does it affect the lives of other creatures, plants, you? ....

Trailing Lantana

"There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy and its charm."

-Theodore Roosevelt

Ramsey Canyon, AZ